The Crazy Family

I watched My Big Fat Greek Wedding tonight and was reminded about the craziness of families.  I come from a completely normal and boring family with no baggage and no drama.  Yeah, RIGHT!!  I often tell my husband, "I did something really good to get you, but you must've done something bad and awful to get me!"  My family is very similar to the wooden roller coaster, The Rattler, currently being removed from Six Flags Fiesta Texas.  The roller coaster, besides the obvious ups and downs is also wooden and therefore unstable and will burn quickly in a fire.  Wow!!  Sounds a whole lot like my family.

Is this your crazy family?

Some people are married and have initial family grumblings.  Some people have excellent in laws and total disasters in their own family.  Some people have perfect harmony.  I like to think of ours more like a cacophony, but musical for certain.

The holidays are the perfect time to go to war with your family and also the best time to make amends.  Where will you celebrate the holidays?  Who will you see?  Who won't you see?  Who will call?  Who won't call?  Who will text?  Who won't text?  Does it really matter?  Does it matter what any one else is doing?  As we each marry and have our own families, we are in charge of creating traditions and making the holidays meaningful and memorable.  I don't think it really matters who is not there as much as it matters who is there.  I also have come to understand I may not make it to every occasion, but it doesn't make the occasion less meaningful or important.

Life is too short to care about who didn't call, text, or visit and instead focus on who did call, text, and visit.  Invest in the present and be present in your life.  Be the family you want your family to be.  Do not misunderstand me by discarding the people who aren't always present in your lives.  Life has cycles and relationships also have cycles.  Allow them to cycle and love your family for who they are and where they are(emotionally and physically).

If given the opportunity, I wouldn't trade any one in my family.  They have shaped me; the good and the bad.  I hope you have the chance to spend quality time with your family during the holidays even if it's good, bad and ugly!  I am thankful for my crazy family for which I lead the pack of wild kittens(Day 34).  Goodnight Friends.